


For You. For Me. For Us.

by WhatWeRemember



Category: The Haunting of Bly Manor (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, My First Work in This Fandom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-15
Updated: 2021-02-15
Packaged: 2021-03-16 04:53:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,234
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29448099
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhatWeRemember/pseuds/WhatWeRemember
Summary: Jamie awakes to an empty bed, Poppins was missing. And she hopes, that maybe she will be fast enough to stop Dani's decision. But what happens when the Lady in the Lake walks?Alternate ending of Episode 9
Relationships: Dani Clayton/Jamie
Kudos: 36





	For You. For Me. For Us.

**Author's Note:**

> My first fanfic! I spent too much time crying over Damie so now you have to suffer as well.

Jamie woke to a cold, empty bed. A lingering warmth from where Dani usually lay. Ignoring the ache in her heart, Jamie listened for the sounds of a kettle. She had been teaching Dani how to perfect tea. Perhaps, a silent part of her hoped, perhaps Dani would be up to surprise her. The silence said otherwise. Jamie searched for any indication that would say anything but what her mind was telling her. Anything but what she already knew. A slip of parchment caught her eyes, _I love you with everything I have left._ Before she had time to consider her actions, Jamie was running through the streets, weaving her way through those unsuspecting persons. Those who didn’t know what Dani was planning. As she sat in the cab on her way to Bly, she clutched her ring. Hoping that maybe, just maybe, she would make it in time.

Bly Manor sat in its still ever present glory. Light glancing off the old stained windows. Odd dips of shadow hiding the secrets that ghosts kept. Jamie was out of the cab before it had stopped completely, stumbling to the last place she wished to go. The place they had promised to avoid. She struggled through the overgrown gardens, her eyes catching on a torn strand of fabric. A torn reminder of Dani. _And here are the gardens, Ms. Clayton. Isn’t it perfectly splendid?_ A wilted moonflower mocked Jamie as she ran towards the Lake. She wanted to scream, scream for Dani to come back. But she couldn’t. She was frozen as she watched Dani wade into the water. And unnerving, she was reminded of a certain night and a certain morning. A morning in which she found young Flora screaming as Rebecca lay in the Lake. A night in which Jamie had been just too late to save Dani. She would not make the same mistake twice.

“Dani,” she begged. Dani turned, her beautiful eyes wide. “Dani, please. Please don’t leave me.” Jamie knew it was selfish. They had promised, when the time came, when the beast sprung, she would let go. But now that the beast had sprung, Jamie was not ready. 

“Jamie,” Dani closed her eyes. “No, no, no. _Jamie._ You’re not supposed-” Dani took a step forward. _Take another,_ Jamie silently screamed, _just another._ Dani made no move to get out of the lake. 

Jamie took a step forward, “Dani, you’re all I have left. And I love you, I love you with everything I’ve had, everything I have, and everything I will have. I can’t live without you.” Dani began to shake her head. 

“You promised, Jamie. You promised to let go.” 

“It’s not your time yet! We can get as far away from Bly, get as far away from your monster.”

“There’s no escaping it,” Dani shrieked. “I will not let her take you. I will not risk Flora or Miles or you. Let me go, Jamie. It’s alright, let me go.” Jamie felt her breath catch in her throat. She couldn’t leave Dani here. She wouldn’t. She opened her mouth, ready to plead. To break every promise they had, because she would _not_ lose her moonflower. A sudden splash causes Jamie to divert her attention. It is the worst decision she ever made.

A lady clad in a white dress emerges from the depths of the Lake. Her empty face reminding Jamie of that certain night. The Lady in the Lake steps forward and grabs Dani. Dani doesn’t struggle, not like last time. If Jamie hadn’t known better, she would think Dani was already dead. Jamie screamed, dragging her feet towards Dani. She reached out, clutching the Lady in the Lake’s dress. And the gardener knew that every action had a price. Yet this price, this price the au pair would not allow. Dani jerked forwards, dragging the Lady back into the water. 

“No,” Jamie screamed as her Poppins’ head went under the surface. She launched herself forward, ignoring the water stinging her eyes. She swam down, reaching her hand for the ever receding Lady in the Lake. _Take me! Take me instead, drag me down._ And, as if her cries had been answered, Jamie felt an unnamed force drag her towards the bottom. And Jamie shouldn’t have been able to breath, she was meters under the surface of the water. Yet here she was, inhaling. Dani’s chest was rising as well.

“Viola,” a voice called in the blue depths. Jamie twisted around, standing next to her was a young girl. 

“Viola,” the young girl repeated. The Lady in the Lake looked up, taking a step towards the girl. A sudden urge of protectiveness surged through Jamie, but no matter how much she willed herself to move forward, the invisible force kept her firmly in place. Meters from the world outside. Dani was staring at her with wide eyes which pleaded for her to go up. She didn’t know Jamie couldn’t. 

“It’s me, Isabel,” The young girl spoke softly. As if she was scared to spook the Lady in the Lake. “Come, Mother.” The Lady in the Lake made a noise, something like a whine. Jamie knew not of what she meant to say, considering that she hadn’t a mouth.

“Mother,” the young girl, Isabel, smiled. Extending her hand towards the Lady in the Lake. Extending her hand towards Viola. “Come, leave them. All the dresses are desolate without you. Please. It’s you. It’s me. It’s us.” As if a memory had been woken in the Lady in the Lake, Viola took the girl’s hand. And they vanished, leaving no trace they were ever there. With the unnamed force gone now, Jamie could no longer breath. Dani appeared to have the same conundrum. Jamie swam towards Dani, clutching her close and she kicked towards the surface. Gasping, Jamie began to drag Dani towards the shore. Jamie crawled up the mud, coughing. Dani sobbed next to her. Jamie turned to comfort her and froze. Dani’s eyes, they were both blue. Jamie rushed forward, wrapping Dani in her embrace.

“How could you do that?” she demanded into Dani’s shoulder. 

“ _Jamie_ , you know.” Jamie pushed off Dani, keeping her hands on her shoulder. She examined Dani, looking for any indication that her monster still lurked in the shadows.

Jamie cleared her throat, “Would you do it again?” 

“I would, yes.” Dani smiled sadly. “For you. For me. For us.” Jamie felt a sudden urge to scream.

“I wouldn’t let you. And before you protest, Poppins, it doesn’t matter anymore. Because it is over. Viola is gone. _Your monster is gone_.”

“And if it isn’t? If the story of Bly isn’t over?” Dani asked. “Would you risk everything by refusing? Would you risk everything to break a promise? You have to let me do it, Jamie.”

“No,” Jamie shook her head. “No. I will not risk my most important person.” 

“ _Jamie_.” 

“ _Dani_ , if it isn’t gone, then we have time. We will figure it out together. No one is going anywhere, and that is the truth this time. _We have time_.” Jamie shook Dani’s shoulder for extra emphasis.

  
Dani laughed tearfully, “Yes, we have time. We can- We _will_ have so many more years. We will.” Jamie leaned forward and planted her cold, wet lips on Dani’s. They were together. And that is how they would stay, gardener and au pair, forever.


End file.
